Torpedo



(No Model.)

, G. NELSON.

TORPEDO. No. 485,974. Patented Nov. 8, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NELSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TORPEDO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,974, dated November8, 1892.

Application filed July 21, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES NELSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Torpedoes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in torpedoes, and by means ofthis invention a torpedo can be produced having a powerful charge offulminate or explosive and which is at the same time quite free fromdanger in packing and shipping, as set forth in the followingspecification and claims and illustrated in the annexed drawing, whichrepresents a sectional view of the torpedo.

In the drawing, the letter A indicates the fulminate or charge, and Tthe filling, of gravel or like dense substance, surrounded by wrapper O.In case the charge A is made very powerful the effect of the explosionbecomes intense, bnt the torpedo at the same time becomes so sensitiveas to be very dangerousinhandlingorshipping. Bysurrounding the wrapper Owith a filling S of light specific gravity-such as sawdust or thelikeinclosed in a shell W, the sensitiveness of the torpedo issufliciently overcome to enable safe packing, handling, and shipping. Atthe same time the enlarged size of the torpedo increases its sellingcapacity without the weight of the torpedo being excessively increased.By making the external shell or casing W of several thicknesses of suchsub stance as Manila paper it becomes sulficiently strong to escapeaccidental rupture, and the appearance of the article may be heightenedby an external covering of fancy paperas, for example, coloredtissue-paper.

Serial No. 440,800- (No model.) I

A shield or cover B of suitable materialsuch as strawboard-will preventthe gravel T from scattering upward into the face or eyes of the throwerwhen exploding the torpedo by throwing it bottom downward. The bottom ofthe torpedo is of course the part opposite the twisted or closingportion of the shell.

A disk or piece of consistent material D such as card-board-may beplaced within the wrapper C, so that the latter will retain its shape.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a fulminate or explosive, a gravel or heavyfilling, and a Wrapper, of a filling of light specific gravity and anexternal shell or casing for the light filling, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, with a fulminate or explosive, a gravel or heavyfilling, and a wrapper, of a filling of light specific gravity, and anexternal shell or casing for the light filling, and a cover or shieldplaced within the light filling in proximity to the fulminate,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a fulminate or explosive, a gravel or heavyfilling, a disk or strip D of consistent material, and a wrapper, of afilling of light specific gravity and an external shell or casing,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHAS. NELSON. Witnesses:

WM. 0. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER.

